What am I doing wrong?

I have a new Epson 2200. I think I made a good descision, but I must not
understand all the variables with my computer, a Dell Inspiron 8100 Laptop,
my scanner, HP S20, Photoshop Elements 2.0 and the printer.

I am scanning slides and saving them as TIFs. My other choice that I am
aware of is jpeg.
I continue to get prints that don't 'look right'. My prints are too dark,
compared to the screen and compared to the slides on the light table, or I
get color casts that are red or too blue.

I have tried different settings, but I think I need help understanding what
co ntrols I should really be using and what settings I should use.

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There is an art/skill to get the slide/screen/print to look similar -
probably never look the same. Likely the major problem is calibrating the
screen, and lcd screens are not knows or color fidelity.

tiff/jpeg is irrelevant in this topic - unless the jpg compression is
ridicules. One thing you didn't mention is the processing software you are
using?

rma

"Mark Hyde" <> wrote in message
news:...
> Greetings,
> I hope I will get some assistance here.
>
> I have a new Epson 2200. I think I made a good descision, but I must not
> understand all the variables with my computer, a Dell Inspiron 8100
Laptop,
> my scanner, HP S20, Photoshop Elements 2.0 and the printer.
>
> I am scanning slides and saving them as TIFs. My other choice that I am
> aware of is jpeg.
> I continue to get prints that don't 'look right'. My prints are too dark,
> compared to the screen and compared to the slides on the light table, or I
> get color casts that are red or too blue.
>
> I have tried different settings, but I think I need help understanding
what
> co ntrols I should really be using and what settings I should use.
>
> Thanks,
> Mark
>
>

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In article <>,
says...
> Greetings,
> I hope I will get some assistance here.
>
> I have a new Epson 2200. I think I made a good descision, but I must not
> understand all the variables with my computer, a Dell Inspiron 8100 Laptop,
> my scanner, HP S20, Photoshop Elements 2.0 and the printer.
>
> I am scanning slides and saving them as TIFs. My other choice that I am
> aware of is jpeg.
> I continue to get prints that don't 'look right'. My prints are too dark,
> compared to the screen and compared to the slides on the light table, or I
> get color casts that are red or too blue.
>
> I have tried different settings, but I think I need help understanding what
> co ntrols I should really be using and what settings I should use.
>
> Thanks,
> Mark

You are going to have a very hard time making the necessary adjustments
since you are using a laptop. LCD screens are not the best for photo
editing as they don't have the dynamic range of a CRT and they don't
display colors as accurately. If you have a CRT that you can hook up to
it, your job will be much easier.

Open your image and create a Curves layer adjustment. (Layers Palette, click
on half white/black circle, then choose a control.)

If the print output is too dark, grab the top of the curve and drag it to
the left. For the first test, just try an arbitary amount and note the
number in the 'INPUT' box. Print the image. Keep adjusting the curve and
re-printing until you're happy with the print. You can create different
setting squares on your print if you create a selection area first using the
Marquee tool.

You can record an 'Action' to do this automatically once you know the best
setting.
I have the opposite problem - my prints are always lighter than the monitor
and I need to darken them by between 25 and 40 units.

You can also use the Brightness/Contrast control, but I've found the Curves
quickest and using curves doesn't make the whites 'grey.'

With regard to colour - do the same test using the Color Balance setting.
You only need to make one print starting with a uniform grey and selecting
squares, then adjusting them. You could also use
Image/Adjustments/Variations and pick a variation with the opposite
(complimentary) colour to the cast on your prints.

You can also buy a 'Color Spyder' which measures the screen colour and
assists in calibration - good but expensive.

In article <>,
"Mark Hyde" <> wrote:
> I have a new Epson 2200. I think I made a good descision, but I must not
> understand all the variables with my computer, a Dell Inspiron 8100 Laptop,
> my scanner, HP S20, Photoshop Elements 2.0 and the printer.
>
> I am scanning slides and saving them as TIFs. My other choice that I am
> aware of is jpeg.
> I continue to get prints that don't 'look right'.

Your problem is using a Windows POS to do color management. BUY a Mac.
They just work!

Guest

Archived from "Mark Hyde" <> on Sat, 12 Jul 2003
19:40:49 -0600:
>Greetings,
>I hope I will get some assistance here.
>
>I have a new Epson 2200. I think I made a good descision, but I must not
>understand all the variables with my computer, a Dell Inspiron 8100 Laptop,
>my scanner, HP S20, Photoshop Elements 2.0 and the printer.
[snip]

Aside from any calibration issues associated with your laptop's LCD, and
new printer notwithstanding, I would suggest visiting Epson's site to
ensure you have installed the latest verison of the driver for the 2200.

In article <>,et (HRosita) wrote:
> >Enough wrote:
>
> >Your problem is using a Windows POS to do color management. BUY a Mac.
> >They just work!
>
> We have heard your opinion that Macs are better. As a matter of fact we have
> heard it over, and over, and over.
>
> Now either help the poster, or don't post anything.
> Rosita
>
>

I provide the OP with a workable solution. Trash the windows POS and BUY
a Mac. They just work!

In article <INeQa.45152$>, says...
> Enough wrote:
> > Your problem is using a Windows POS to do color management. BUY a Mac.
> > They just work!
>
> I am not having any problems on my PC. So your solution is not really
> the solution, is it?

Andrew,

Just add Mr. Enough to your killfile now. He is one of the group ogres
who does nothing here but post stupid, insulting messages and tell
people how much better Macs are for everything. Apparently he is
insecure with his decision to purchase an Apple and must attempt to
justify it every chance he gets by telling others how much Windows
sucks.

Todd Walker wrote:
> Just add Mr. Enough to your killfile now. He is one of the group ogres
> who does nothing here but post stupid, insulting messages and tell
> people how much better Macs are for everything. Apparently he is
> insecure with his decision to purchase an Apple and must attempt to
> justify it every chance he gets by telling others how much Windows
> sucks.

"Mark Hyde" <> wrote in message
news:...
> I have a new Epson 2200. I think I made a good descision, but I must not
> understand all the variables with my computer, a Dell Inspiron 8100
Laptop,
> my scanner, HP S20, Photoshop Elements 2.0 and the printer.

I haven't any experience of using an LCD panel for photo editing, so I can
only hope that you can improve matters by using colour management.

The first thing you should do is run Adobe Gamma from the control panel and
calibrate the screen to a gamma of 2.2.

Then you should get hold of a standard test image such as the PhotoDisc
target from http://www.inkjetart.com/custom/ (note that the image is in
AdobeRGB colour space).

Print the test image to the printer using Print with Preview in Photoshop.
Select the appropriate paper profile in the print space profile box. (You
may have to click on Show more options and select Color Management). Also
click the Document button, against which will be Document: Adobe RGB (1998).
In the Epson printer driver properties, select the appropriate paper type
and in the custom/advanced settings, select No color adjustment.

It's possible that your paper profiles are not yet installed. I believe
they get installed with the PIM software.

In article <>,
Todd Walker <> wrote:
> Apparently he is
> insecure with his decision to purchase an Apple

Sorry, Toddy! The only trying buying from Apple has made me is
completely satisfied with digital photography and videography. It simple
works each and every time. What I see is what I get! As the original
poster has demonstrated on a Windows POS, what you see is anybody's
guess!

On 7/13/03 10:39 AM, in article, "Todd Walker"
<> wrote:
> In article <INeQa.45152$>,
> says...
>> Enough wrote:
>>> Your problem is using a Windows POS to do color management. BUY a Mac.
>>> They just work!
>>
>> I am not having any problems on my PC. So your solution is not really
>> the solution, is it?
>
> Andrew,
>
> Just add Mr. Enough to your killfile now. He is one of the group ogres
> who does nothing here but post stupid, insulting messages and tell
> people how much better Macs are for everything. Apparently he is
> insecure with his decision to purchase an Apple and must attempt to
> justify it every chance he gets by telling others how much Windows
> sucks.
He's real popular over at comp.sys.mac.misc as well!
Don't feel left out - he insults and trolls in there, too.
God knows how many other places he confronts people...

"George Kerby" <> wrote in message > He's real
popular over at comp.sys.mac.misc as well!
> Don't feel left out - he insults and trolls in there, too.
> God knows how many other places he confronts people...
>

Everywhere but face to face I am sure. There he is no doubt too insecure to
complain if a waiter pissed in his food.

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